The Need for Nitrogen Stabilizers Continues
March 1, 2023 
Nitrogen (N) stabilizers have expanded their market presence in recent growing seasons as uncertainty has ruled fertilizer prices. And market watchers expect this demand for products that protect the investment in nitrogen-based crop nutrients to continue in 2023.
First, a little background data. During the early part of 2022, it was hard to attend any of the myriad industry winter trade shows without the topic of sky-high fertilizer prices being discussed. As 2021 ended, multiple fertilizer markets analysts were rattling off mind-blowing price percentage increases for fertilizer. In particular, nitrogen-based fertilizers were off-the-charts.
“It’s an unprecedented year; a crazy year,” said Joe Dillier, Managing Director for Ameropa North America, speaking at the 2022 Wisconsin Agribusiness Classic. “Urea was selling for $250 per ton at the start of 2021, but it went up almost immediately thereafter. By spring, the prices really jumped, to $625 per ton. In a normal year, these would have dropped as the spring season ended. But that didn’t happen in 2021. By fall, urea was selling for more than $750 per ton.”
Shortly after giving this talk, the Russia-Ukraine war began. This added another layer of uncertainty to the global fertilizer marketplace. As a result, fertilizer prices – which would normally begin falling once the spring application season had finished – remained high throughout the late spring and summer months of 2022.
“With volatile fertilizer prices, it’s more important than ever for growers to protect their nitrogen investments,” said William Wynn, U.S. Product Manager, Nitrogen Stabilizers, Corteva Agriscience, in a company press release issued just as the Russia-Ukraine conflict was beginning. “Nitrogen is already one of the most expensive inputs each growing season, and it’s essential for strong yield.”
Ryan Hageman, Technical Specialist and Manager at CHS Inc., believes uncertainty will continue to play into nitrogen stabilizer decisions going forward. “Considering the volatile fertilizer market and state of the transportation industry, getting the most value out of the tons of fertilizer we have available is going to be key to maintaining our crops health,” says Hageman. “By using nitrogen stabilizers to protect our fertilizer investment, we can make sure our crops have availability to nitrogen later on in the season to ensure that we can maximize our yields.
“Nitrogen stabilizers help by controlling the three types of losses that can occur when applying a nitrogen fertilizer source,” he continues. “Volatilization, denitrification, and leeching cause the nitrogen to move out of the root zone and become unavailable for the crop to utilize it. By keeping the nitrogen in the root zone and available, the stabilizers will help maximize the yield of the crop and keep it from moving through the soil profile to unwanted locations. Those unwanted locations such as streams and aquifers can become high in nitrates and be harmful to wildlife and also to humans.”
The Need Remains
In the year since these events took place, many fertilizer prices have come back down from these historic price highs. However, according to Josh Griffin, Product Line Manager – Fertilizer Enhancers for Verdesian Life Sciences, the desire to protect the investment in nitrogen-based fertilizers among growers has not lessened in the interim.
“The outlook for nitrogen stabilizers is very bright,” Griffin says. “With nitrogen being the most essential nutrient needed to grow a successful crop, growers continue to pay close attention on how to not only retain nitrogen, but also maximize the nutrient. As the price of nitrogen inputs still remains relatively high, nitrogen stabilizers are still top of growers’ minds to implement into their crop production program.”
Greg Schwab, Vice President of Technology and Innovation, Koch Agronomic Services (KAS), agrees with this assessment. “KAS is optimistic about grower adoption of nitrogen stabilizers for the 2023 season and beyond,” Schwab says. “As growers look to improve their return-on-investment, they’re having conversations with their local retailer about improving their nitrogen fertilizer efficiency. From those discussions, we anticipate increased utilization of nitrogen stabilizers as growers work to maximize their yields and profitability.”
According to Schwab, KAS offers two nitrogen stabilizers for its customers to pick from. CENTURO nitrogen stabilizer is nitrification inhibitor that protects the nitrogen in anhydrous ammonia or UAN applications from leaching and denitrification. Meanwhile, ANVOL nitrogen stabilizer protects UAN and urea from volatilization loss.
“Delivering highly effective performance results and optimized yields, CENTURO has helped growers meet their nutrient management, nitrogen efficiency, and yield goals” he says. “CENTURO’s noncorrosive formula is gentle on equipment to reduce downtime associated with equipment damage and works in the soil to keep more nitrogen available for plant uptake.
“ANVOL is designed to extend the window of nitrogen protection with the dual active ingredients of Duromide and NBPT,” Schwab continues. “By combining NBPT with the patented active ingredient Duromide, growers get the longest-lasting protection against ammonia volatilization over a wider range of soil conditions.”
According to Verdesian’s Griffin, his company’s nitrogen stabilizer, Trident, provides users with a “one-stop shop” option. “Verdesian’s lead nitrogen stabilizer Trident, works on both UAN and urea, which helps retailers eliminate stock keeping units (SKUs) by carrying one product,” he says. “Trident also has three active ingredients which will protect nitrogen from above- and below-ground loss. Trident’s patented solvent system also helps the AIs penetrate the nitrogen source, allowing the product to be used more efficiently and ultimately provide a longer protection window.”
One of the newest nitrogen stabilizers to come to market is PinnitMax TG from Corteva Agriscience. Introduced in early 2022, PinnitMax TG is an aboveground nitrogen stabilizer that protects urea and UAN applications from volatilization for up to 14 days, According to the company, this helps ensure nitrogen gets into the root zone for maximum yield potential.
PinnitMax TG nitrogen stabilizer is compatible with various fertilizer handling systems, blenders, and impregnation devices This provides flexibility to farmers and retailers and their existing on-farm equipment. The new solution features an easily identifiable blue color that is stain-free and quickly washes out of equipment.
“The nitrogen maximizers business from Corteva Agriscience has nearly five decades of trusted experience shaping the nitrogen stabilizers category,” says Justin Dikeman, U.S. Portfolio Marketing Leader, Nitrogen Stabilizers, Corteva Agriscience. “By adding a stabilizer that protects against nitrogen loss above ground, we’re giving our customers the flexibility they need to create nutrient management programs that fit their unique operations.”
According to Dikeman, Corteva now offers three nitrogen stabilizers in its portfolio: PinnitMax TG nitrogen stabilizer for above ground, protecting against volatilization, to help applied nitrogen get to the root zone, and N-Serve and Instinct NXTGEN nitrogen stabilizers, powered by Optinyte technology, for below ground, protecting against leaching and denitrification, helping ensure nitrogen stays in the root zone.
According to Hageman, CHS offers a variety of nitrogen stabilizer options. “CHS carries N-Edge and N-Edge 2 with NBPT to help control nitrogen loss in the top couple inches of soil to help protect from volatilization and the nitrogen becoming lost to the atmosphere,” he says. “CHS also carries N-Edge Soil 2 has DCD to help with the control of denitrification and leeching through the soil profile. CHS also carries N-Edge Pro which contains both NBPT and DCD to give it both above and below ground protection against the loss of nitrogen.”
With all this activity in nitrogen stabilizers in recent months, Verdesian’s Griffin is very bullish on the outlook for the marketplace. “Nitrogen stabilizer have been and will continue to be a cornerstone in growers’ nitrogen programs,” he says. “Nitrogen is extremely important to growing a crop. I look for this market to only expand during 2023 and beyond.”
CHS’ Hageman agrees. “I feel the outlook for bright for nitrogen stabilizers in 2023 and beyond,” he says. “Growers use of nitrogen stabilizers with continue to increase as the importance of maximizing crop yield while keeping a clean water supply is at the top of grower minds.”
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